Stringent Actions Taken To Curb Tobacco Menace In Guwahati

August 23, 2019 12:09 pm

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STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The District Tobacco Control Cell and the District Health Society Kamrup (M), clubbed under the District Level Steering and Coordination Committee held a meet at the DC office conference hall on Thursday to make stringent regulations to curb the tobacco menace in the city.

During the meeting, it was decided that five task forces will be formed under the five circles of the committee to direct anti-tobacco drives. These task forces are to be constituted for COPTA enforcement and each circle will include a magistrate, a food safety officer, police and a municipal police official as members. The task force will go out on enforcement drives on every first and third Wednesday of each month. Moreover, crime branch DCP will issue orders for the SI/ASI to be member of the squad.

Further, the committee decided that the inspector of schools will issue orders to all the schools to ban sale of tobacco products as well as prohibit display of product signboards. Also, all public establishments are to maintain ‘smoke free’ status along with a declaration of ‘no spitting zone’ to combat the menace of paan, gutkha, paanmasala spitting. A penalty would be imposed if discovered engaging in such activities under the Swach Bharat project.